Land-based ecosystems are fundamental pillars of our wellbeing. However, their resilience is increasingly threatened by the growing demand for food, housing, energy and other ecosystem services. Building on the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the context of Food Security as an overarching framework, we work to promote the rights of all land users as an important precondition for sustainable and inclusive development.
Our work involves analyzing structural barriers that hinder land users from enjoying their legitimate rights. Together with our partners, we explore context-specific solutions and innovations to overcome these barriers. This includes supporting governments in providing the necessary services to their citizens, and supporting right holders in claiming their legitimate rights. Building on the insights gained, we support the development of monitoring tools to increase transparency and accountability within the land sector, and to track the implementation of national and international commitments. Our approach can be described as multi-level changemaking to democratize food systems, end chronic poverty and food insecurity and restoring ecosystems.
We work simultaneously across the following three levels:
Local level: We create space and strengthen community-based organizations and sub-national governance institutions to co-develop social innovations for land tenure security.
National level: We work with governments, human rights institutions, and civil society networks to support the implementation of progressive national policies, also by building on progress made in global policy processes.
Global level: Through our broad research and policy networks we actively engage in identifying policy spaces and agenda setting to ensure that these ideas can be taken up and integrated into formal decision making and implementation. A core focus of our work is the integration of land tenure in the implementation of the three Rio Conventions.
Land, Gender and Human Rights
Improving rights-based land governance with innovative tools
It is broadly acknowledged that the lack of land tenure security is a key barrier, not only to improved food security and sustainable land management practices at the farm level, but also for the restoration of ecosystems and resilience to climate change. While most countries have legal frameworks in place to recognize claims to land, both at individual and community level, enforcement remains weak. Despite their significant contribution to food security, and farm-based livelihoods, women are particularly disadvantaged due to the dominance of patriarchy and other unequal socio-cultural values in determining the ownership of land and other productive resources.
Projects
Multi-level changemaking: Our approach to strengthening responsible land governance
Bringing together diverse actors to strengthen policies and actions on responsible land governance
This body of work builds on TMG's flagship Global Soil Week programme, which aims to enable the protection of legitimate land tenure rights in the context of land degradation neutrality (LDN) measures and enabling smallholder farmers and local communities to contribute to the implementation of the UN Convention for Combating Desertification.[DB1] A key objective of the work is to mobilize partnerships to translate global policy frameworks and targets into feasible actions at the local level and leverage action research to improve global governance agendas.
Sustainable Land Management
Exploring social innovations at community level to foster sustainable land management practices
This thematic strand focuses on understanding the underlying socio-political dynamics and other structural challenges that smallholder farmers face in investing in sustainable land management practices. Based on locally-embedded research with our partners in several African countries, we develop, and pilot, "social innovations" to overcome structural obstacles. By sharing the insights gained with our broader networks of partners, as well as at various multilateral processes, we also seek to contribute to a systemic understanding of the enabling conditions for scaling up sustainable land management, at both the local and ecosystem levels.
Investing in community level land and environment governance institutions is imperative to the success of national forest and landscape restoration plans: TMG case study of Bua catchment in Malawi
In Memory of Klaus Töpfer
Unlocking Synergies for Women's Land Rights: Bridging Rio Conventions with Grassroots Organizations
Haki Ardhi land rights reporting tool - A path to gender-responsive climate action
Navigating carbon markets: implications for land rights and community empowerment in Kenya
Climate solutions pose novel problems for global land governance, and importantly, people's rights
Report
Rights4Land: towards an agenda for just land governance
The Rights4Land platform drives equitable land access and secure tenure for marginalized people
Written by Ilse Pelkmans, Frederike Klümper
Published on Sep 11, 2024
Report
Tirer parti de l'élan pour les droits fonciers des femmes: Renforcer une initiative de synergies entre les conventions
Résultats de l'atelier de l'Initiative pour les droits fonciers des femmes de juin 2024 à Berlin.
Written by TMG Research, Robert Bosch Stiftung
Published on Aug 01, 2024
Report
Leveraging Momentum for Women’s Land Rights: Enhancing an Initiative for Synergies across Conventions
Outcomes of the June 2024 Women’s Land Rights Initiative workshop in Berlin.
Written by TMG Research, Robert Bosch Stiftung
Published on Aug 01, 2024
Report
The significance of community-level land and forest governance institutions for land restoration and land degradation neutrality programmes: A case study of Bua catchment area in Malawi
TMG and Total LandCare Malawi implemented the GSW project activities to Malawi. The study , examined tenure rights in Bua catchment area within the context of national efforts to achieve LDN by protecting Mchinji Forest Reserve and Kasungu National Park.
Written by Washe Kazungu, Kader Baba, Frederike Klümper, Jephthah Maliro
Published on Jul 16, 2024
Event Programme
Participant Handbook | Leveraging Momentum for Women’s Land Right: Enhancing an Initiative for Synergies across Conventions
This handbook aims to serve as a guide into our exchanges and a resource to unpack some of the complex issues surrounding women’s land rights in the context of the Rio Conventions.
Written by Land Governance Team
Published on Jun 20, 2024
Brochure
How can the Rio Conventions accelerate just climate action?
This social media asset helps explain what the Rio Conventions are and why they are important in the plight to ensure women’s land rights are part of just climate action.
Written by Joanna Trimble
Published on Jun 20, 2024
- Land Governance Mar 11, 2024
The Haki Ardhi App
A tool that enables women to report tenure rights violations and gender-based violence.
- Land Governance Feb 06, 2023
Monitoring the Human Right to Land
A tool for monitoring land-based human rights violations
- Land Governance Oct 04, 2022
First Governor's Day with Farmers - Kakamega County, Kenya
A novel approach aiming to bring farmers and agricultural policymakers closer together.
- Land Governance Sep 26, 2022
Tem Sesiabun Gorado - An innovative model for knowledge transfer
A novel farmer-to-farmer knowledge transfer model
- Land Governance Sep 26, 2022
Tem Sesiabun Gorado - Un modèle innovateur de transfert de connaissances
Un nouveau modèle de transfert de connaissances entre agriculteur·rice·s
- Food Systems Jul 15, 2022
Transforming food systems from the bottom up: Social innovations for soil restoration
A conversation around land rights and agricultural transformation
- Land Governance Jun 02, 2022
No Sustainability Transition Without Securing Legitimate Land Rights - TMG @ COP 15
TMG and partners bring "Rights to Land" agenda to COP 15
- Land Governance May 09, 2022
The Human Rights & Land Navigator
A new instrument instrument for strengthening the application of the voluntary guidelines on tenure
- Land Governance Jan 13, 2022
The State of Land Degradation Neutrality in Madagascar
Just Transitions towards Land Degradation Neutrality: Tenure Rights for Soil Restoration
- Land Governance Oct 13, 2021
Hunger, Land and Gender: Making Women’s Land Rights a Reality
Webinar recording of the first event in the series Hungry for Change
- Food Systems Sep 13, 2021
Land-Food-Climate: An African-European Dialogue on Climate Resilience
Teaser video for the "Land-Food-Climate: An African-European Dialogue on Climate Resilience" event series
- Land Governance Feb 22, 2021
Building Back Better and Greener with Agroecology
A video marking the launch of the Transformative Partnership Platform (TPP) on agroecology
- Land Governance Jan 22, 2021
Agroecology for Adaptation - Systemic Challenges/Systemic Responses
A video sharing perspectives from diverse experts on how to create an enabling environment to support smallholder-led innovations for climate change adaptation
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